Truck driver hits man in the road and drives off

MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A semi driver involved in an accident with another tractor-trailer early Tuesday morning was then hit by third truck as he was walking along U.S. 35 in Mason County, investigators say.

Sheriff’s deputies said the incident turned into a criminal case when the third truck driver took off.

Deputies said the truck driver is recovering after being hit not once -- but twice -- near the intersection of U.S. 35 and Cornstalk Road.

The driver, who was heading north and had pulled over, tried to merge back onto the road when he crashed into another tractor-trailer.

Mason County Sheriff Corey Miller said that vehicle pulled over.

“It appears that vehicle two pulled over, got out of his vehicle and got out to assess, and that’s when the driver of vehicle one had been struck by another tractor-trailer,” Miller said.

The sheriff said the driver of the first truck got out, and that’s when he was hit by another vehicle.

“Probably stepped out very close to being in the road or on line. There is not much room on the section to get off,” Miller said.

The driver of the truck that hit the man on the road left the scene, and the first driver was taken to the hospital before being flown to Cabell Huntington Hospital.

Mason County Sheriff’s deputies say he’s considered stable and they’re trying to determine who hit him. The sheriff said that will be difficult.

“That truck could be in Columbus, Dayton, Michigan, Detroit … anywhere,” Miller said. “It’s going to be very difficult to track down a random tractor-trailer with that many on the road heading to and from on 35 because that is a large artery for traffic.”

Deputies say that third driver may not even know he hit someone but when they catch up with the hit-and- run driver, that person could face a felony hit-and-run charge.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office has no suspects yet in the case.

This is a developing story. For more of our coverage, tap here.

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